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The Guardian ECM Suite was introduced in 2597 by the Terran Hegemony[1]. Designed to interfere with guided weaponry, targeting computers, and communication systems, the Guardian is typically used to shield allied units from such equipment by emitting a broad-band signal meant to confuse radar, infrared, ultraviolet, magscan and sonar sensors.[2] The Terran Hegemony built the Guardian for fear that their own Beagle Active Probe, constructed as a counter to ECM suites in use at the time, might fall into the hands of the other Great Houses and be used against them.[3]

The suite itself consists of a dedicated countermeasures computer tied to electromagnetic sensors positioned around the operating unit. When these sensors detect an electromagnetic wave within range, such as that given off by an active radar, this data is sent to the computer which identifies the threat, adapts to it, and fires a focused electromagnetic pulse at the source. This intense burst of EM radiation can confuse and misdirect the sensor or even force the entire targeting system to reboot.[3]

The greatest drawback to the Guardian is its limited range, which extends out to only 180 meters. Sensors can sometimes override this jamming, though by that point the enemy unit is already within visual range and can track the opposition with their own eyes.[2] Another is the fact that the Guardian's highly-adaptable operating software requires constant patching and custom recoding for each unit model on which it's mounted. While this was no problem for the Star League, for the Great Houses it proved to be a time-consuming process.[3]